Guilt
by kumasei
Summary: England finds Singapore for a drink and the latter welcomes his presence, not.


Singapore made a sound of annoyance as he adjusted his glasses, taking a break from his pile of paperwork spread out in front of him. The piles were less of a chore and more of a norm, albeit the small country he is. He did a few stretches and held his pen up again, ready to get more work done when a muffled voice came from his outside of his office.

"Singapore?" Came several knocks on his door.

"Please kindly arrange for a future appointment. It is currently past my working hours right now." Singapore said monotonously, earning a laugh from the person. Singapore was not pleased in the slightest, especially when it was way past 12 in the night. Midnights were the peaceful sanctuaries for him, since nobody would ever think of coming over to his office to annoy him during these times. Unless it was his bickering neighbour, Malaysia, that'd be another story. To add to Singapore's annoyance, instead of leaving, the person casually invited himself in with a grin. "You don't change, do you?"

"England." Singapore said, quickly standing up from his desk and narrowing his eyes at the taller man. With the sudden movement, several papers flew here and there, but he didn't care for now. Singapore forced a smile with clear malicious intent. "I haven't seen you since the last meeting. How may I help you?"

Only when Singapore notice the bottle of beer England was holding did he realise why England was being so smiley. Even so, he had no idea why the blond would come to his office, out of all the places he could go. "I knew you'd be still working," England hiccuped, "that's what they always say. Oh, Singapore, the best country in Asia, a result of hard work!"

Seeing no point to keep up the facade, Singapore turned the corner of his lips downwards and moved to push the drunken man out of the room. "I do not have the time to entertain your insults." When he failed to do so, partly because of the difference in their sizes, he glared at the frowning man.

"Come on, you're too serious! We haven't talked since the old times!" England grumbled, easily forcing his way through the smaller man as he walked over and planted himself on the leather chair. Peering over at the documents filled with several different languages on the desk, he swiped them away much to Singapore's anger. "Let's talk instead of boring yourself with these!" England held his beer out to Singapore who ignored it and took a seat opposite of England, the desk in between them.

"I'll entertain you for a while, just don't touch the documents." Singapore said, eyeing his paperwork cautiously. If the blond was going to mess it up again, he wouldn't hesitate to call the police on him. England clicked his tongue and chugged the bottle by himself. "And make it quick." Singapore added, tapping his fingers on the surface of the desk.

England lied his head down on the cool surface and stared into Singapore's eyes. Then, came the words the smaller country never expected.

"I'm sorry."

Silence filled the air.

Singapore twitched, feeling heavy in the chest as memories of the past flashed through his head all at once. England's stare felt as if they could bore holes into him. Feeling his facade automatically registering a smile on his face again, he said, "what are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry." England merely repeated.

Feeling anger boiling up within him, Singapore's smile wavered a little as he clenched his fists. "You've said nothing even after I gained my independence. So what's this? Guilt? Sympathy?"

"I still regret my decision that day." England said, his expression unreadable.

"It was regret for you and physical pain for me and my citizens!" Singapore snarled, his highly-regarded morals about violence seemingly gone as he grabbed England by his tie, closing in on their distance and hitting a few piles of documents away. "What makes you think that you have the rights to play victim?"

"My sincere apologies." England's words were true, and Singapore knew he could do nothing but feel angry about it. England made no move to make Singapore unhand him. Singapore trembled as he gritted his teeth, his grip on the taller man not as strong as before. He could bash England's face right now, and the blond wouldn't stop him. But he didn't. Singapore had never fought against any other countries despite the being best in Asia. He felt like his old self again, crying powerlessly as England surrendered him to Japan.

"I'll do anything to make up to you." England said, and Singapore released the grip on him. Singapore shifted his eyes to the ground and stood up, looking away from the man who once protected him and his citizens.

"I don't need you anymore, and you know it." Deciding that the paperwork would have to wait another day to be done, he said, "finish up your drink and leave this place by morning or I'll sue you for trespassing." Before he left the now quiet blond alone, he muttered, "time will not rewind, I am grateful for your past guidance, but I am my own now. Do not feel guilt over this any longer."

That morning, England found himself in an unfamiliar office with papers spread messily over the ground. Picking himself up from the cold concrete ground, a part of him felt lighter somehow, despite the fact that his back ached from sleeping on the ground.

* * *

A/N: I chanced on several APH Singapore fics today and I felt inspired to try writing one. I apologise if England was out of character in any ways. My only excuse is that he was drunk.


End file.
